More charges for driver in River Road hit

Published 9:02 pm Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Akeem Williams

Akeem Williams

 

The man who hit a construction worker on River Road last week has been charged with more crimes.

According to a press release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Akeem Javal Williams, 23, of Montclair Drive in Washington, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, first-degree burglary, felony larceny, two counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle and two counts of misdemeanor larceny, in addition to the North Carolina State High Patrol’s charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury from last week.

The accident occurred April 2, when the vehicle Williams was driving east on River Road veered across the oncoming lane of traffic and ran off the opposite side of the road. Before the SUV hit a utility pole and came to a stop, it hit a supervisor with Lee Electrical Construction at approximately 45 mph, according to Trooper Joseph Howard. Electrical crews were working in the area near Christian Service Camp Road at the time.

The construction worker hit by Williams, Dock Seymour, was airlifted from Vidant Beaufort Hospital in Washington to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. His injuries were numerous: four breaks in his left leg, broken bones in his right hand, a skull fracture and broken bones in his face and mouth, according to his coworkers. Two surgeries later, he is expected to make a full recovery.

At the time of the incident, witnesses told law enforcement that Williams threw a firearm out the window of the SUV, a statement that was later confirmed — a Ruger 9mm handgun was found in a wooded lot near the scene by BCSO Corporal Jim Martin. A later search of Williams’ vehicle turned up marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a gaming system, other electronics and two financial transaction cards, according to the press release. In conjunction with Pitt County officials, investigation identified several items in Williams’ vehicle as being recently stolen from locations in Pitt County.

Monday, Williams was served with the Pitt County warrants for the charges related to the thefts. Williams is being held in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a combined $95,000 bond.